Adding some wow’ to their vows

The Rockett Christian Church building has been standing since 1901, but it got a splash of the exotic like never before Saturday with the distinctive zigs and zags of a zebra-themed wedding reception.

Pat (Birmingham) and Lorne McMillan have been raising zebras together for 10 years, along with other unusual animals, and have become famous locally for their menagerie.

When the two decided to wed, Pat saw the perfect opportunity to finish off a traditional country-church wedding with the zany zebra reception and a trip to the farm to see the real thing.

“We’re just known out here for the zebras and camels,” Pat said.

More than 100 guests attended the ceremony, many of who know the couple for their eclectic herds at HiView Farms in Rockett — some even dressing in black and white to fit the theme.

“We’ve got some good neighbors and a lot of the people that are here are our neighbors,” Lorne said. “This wedding wouldn’t be worth a quarter without friends.”

The couple said the theme, reflected in invitation, favors, decor, cake toppers and even two life-size inflated zebras complete with veil and top hat, was a unique one.

“(Our guests) were flabbergasted — nobody had seen anything like that ever,” Pat said. “It was just a riot. It was just so unique and we gave everybody a baby zebra on a heart. I really think it was the most unique thing.”

Lorne said the best part of the celebration, however, was having friends and family close.

“We were just so impressed because we were with most of our neighbors and they responded like you wouldn’t believe,” he said. “People were just so open and friendly.”

The McMillan’s personalized the wedding, not only in the unique reception, but in writing their own vows.

“We put quite a bit of time and thought into them,” Lorne said, noting the importance of choosing the right partner in life.

“It was the ideal setting- it was a little country wedding with our neighbor’s and closest friends,” Lorne said.

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